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H2446 • 2025

An Act relative to sexual assault counselor task force

An Act relative to sexual assault counselor task force

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Natalie M. Higgins
Last action
2025-10-16
Official status
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to sexual assault counselor task force

An Act relative to sexual assault counselor task force By Representative Higgins of Leominster, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to sexual assault counselor task force By Representative Higgins of Leominster, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 2446) of Natalie M.
  • Higgins and others for legislation to establish a sexual assault counselor task force.
  • Public Health.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-16 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

  2. 2025-06-30 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 07/10/2025 from 09:00 AM-01:00 PM in A-1

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Public Health

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to sexual assault counselor task force
By Representative Higgins of Leominster, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2446) of Natalie M. Higgins and others for legislation to establish a sexual assault counselor task force. Public Health.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.2446

There shall be a task force to make recommendations on establishing statewide certification and updating training standards for sexual assault counselors.

The task force shall be comprised of the following members: the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair; 1 member designated by the governor’s council, who shall address sexual assault and domestic violence issues; 1 member designated by Pathways for Change, Inc.; 1 member designated by Boston Area Rape Crisis Center; 1 member designated by the Center for Hope & Healing; 1 member from the Victim Rights Law Center, Inc.; 1 member designated by Jane Doe, Inc.; 1 member from the Massachusetts office of victim assistance; and no more than 3 members who shall be a sexual assault survivor(s) designated by

consensus of

Pathways for Change, Inc., the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and the Center for Hope & Healing.

The task force shall make recommendations on: (i) updating the statutory definition of “rape crisis center” and “sexual assault counsellor” in section 20J of chapter 233 of the general laws; (ii) the curriculum and number of training hours required for certification of rape crisis center and program employees; (iii) the curriculum and number of training hours required for volunteer positions; (iv) the appropriateness of “levels” of certification and corresponding criteria for each if so; (v) a fee structure for certification; (vi) the feasibility of and costs associated with establishing and maintaining licensure of rape crisis centers; and (vii) the feasibility of providing continuing education and college credits with the completion of training programs.

The task force shall submit a report outlining its findings, along with any proposed legislation, to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives and to the chairs of the senate and the house committees on ways and means not later than 12 months after the effective date of this act.

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